The Nationalist Party’s Shadow Minister for Culture, Art, the Film Industry and National Heritage Julie Zahra has called for the resignation of Malta Film Commissioner Johann Grech following a comment made by iconic director Ridley Scott.
Scott, who directed the new Gladiator film which was filmed in Malta, told an audience that he wouldn’t advise visiting Malta on holiday. The film had received some €47 million in taxpayer’s money through grants which the government has staunchly defended.
Zahra said that Film Commissioner Johann Grech had “told me without mentioning names that whoever attacks the cash rebates would be attacking Malta. But now Johann Grech ended up attacked by those who benefitted most from these cash rebates through a record sum of at least €47 million in funds from Maltese taxes,” she said.
Grech was ‘humiliated’ she said, by Scott saying that he would not recommend visiting Malta on holiday.
Zahra went on to point out that Grech uploaded the same interview on Facebook but “censored” and “manipulated” what Scott said by only using the parts that benefitted him.
She said that Grech receives a monthly salary of over €12,500 “following a self-awarded pay raise to €150,000 per annum, which is equivalent to a sum of 6 average Maltese yearly wages.” Furthermore, she said that Grech ignored Maltese producers.
Zahra concluded in saying that Grech should be removed immediately and said that his “position is no longer tenable because he lost all credibility.”